Her Majesty Queen Máxima of The Netherlands spoke on the theme of financial health at the SparkOptimus Financial Services 2030 Women’s Leadership Circle in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on Tuesday evening, 12 November 2024. Appointed the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health in September 2024, Queen Máxima is committed to this theme in the Netherlands.
In a conversation with Alexandra Jankovich, co-founder of the consultancy firm SparkOptimus, UNSGSA Queen Máxima discussed the importance of developing financial products, services and policies that fit people’s needs and contribute to the financial health of households and customers. She also looked back on her 15 years as the UNSGSA for Inclusive Finance for Development, sharing the successes and lessons learned from building a foundation for financial inclusion with global partners. She discussed her new UN mandate to promote financial health globally, as well as emerging solutions to support financial health in The Netherlands. After the conversation, executives from leading Dutch banks and insurers shared their perspectives on what should be done to strengthen financial health in The Netherlands and what roles can be played.
The SparkOptimus FS2030 Women’s Leadership Circle is a group of senior executives from the financial sector in The Netherlands committed to strengthening the role of financial institutions in societal transition themes. This gathering focused on financial health.
More than 76% of adults worldwide now have at least access to a financial account or mobile wallet, a gateway to using other financial services such as savings, loans, and insurance (Global Findex 2021). However, access does not necessarily translate into financial health. In her new UN role, Queen Máxima focuses on promoting and supporting the development of financial products, services, and policies that help people gain control over their day-to-day finances, invest in their future, protect themselves against financial risks, and have confidence in their financial lives.
In the Netherlands, Queen Máxima is working to promote financial health with the SchuldenlabNL Foundation, the Money Wise platform, and the National Financial Health Coalition (NCFG). Several financial institutions are affiliated with the NCFG, an informal partnership of public and private sector employers committed to the financial health of their employees and customers, as financially healthy customers contribute to the financial health of financial institutions and financial stability.